Being In Awe Of God Series

On our final series of overcoming fear and worry by being in awe of God we end with a very appropriate Holiday. Now five lessons will not get you out of your fear and worry pattern UNLESS you allow God IT. In the movie City Slickers, Billy Crystal played an actor that was told that to be happy in life he needed to understand one thing. The actor named “Curley” was a rough cowboy that everyone looked up to. When Billy Crystal asked Curley what the one thing was “Curley” replied “That is what you have to find out”.

Each of us has an “IT” that is keeping us from joy and being free from worry. It isn’t until we let go of that “IT” that we will be free. We can talk about all the steps to get out of addictions, the steps to curtail anger, animosity, jealousy, fear of death and a host of other worries and concerns but it is up to you to let “IT” go. Now you may be thinking “I thought God would take it away if I asked Him”. You are the only one besides the Lord who knows about your “IT”. Sometimes you can give it to God in your head but not your heart. It takes great courage to give your “IT” to Jesus because “IT” has been part of you so long. Even though it may be harmful to you it is tough to let go. In some strange way you are more comfortable in the known arena of pain than the unknown arena of victory.

Thanksgiving in the United Sates is celebrated tomorrow. Thanksgiving started with the Europeans before we settled in America. It was a festival of thanks for the harvest. Sometimes there was even fasting. Now here is want I want you to try to get in your hearts today. Because without this you will never be set free. Christmas was the birth of Jesus and for a few years it was a remembrance of His birth. Thanksgiving starting out giving thanks for a harvest. Then we turn these acts of thankfulness into a holiday for ourselves. Most of us just see time off from work instead of giving thanks. So before I give you “IT” I want to ask you where your heart is today.

1. Is it being thankful for a few days off of work

2. A few Days to get Christmas shopping done

3. Or can you find time to think of others needs more than yourself. – You see “self” keeps the fires of “IT” alive.

The past 2 weeks I have agonized over the prayer requests that have come in. I don’t know why the past two weeks have been so bad in my Spirit but part of it is I lost “IT”. Cancer of anyone especially young children, brain tumors, death at a young age, chemo treatments, death of loved ones, loss of jobs and on and on can be overwhelming when we view this world as our home. But try this next sentence on for size.

“Your life is free to be radical when you see death as your reward.” David Platt

That is “IT”. Most of us do not view death as our reward and we fight death by any means possible. If you and I could view death as our reward then we would not fear ANYTHING. Today are you thankful for the only One who can get you into heaven and what He did for us over 2,000 years ago. It is only by His shed blood and our faith in Jesus that we are set free. This Thanksgiving we will never be thankful until we see death as our reward. When we try to make this world heaven by building and storing treasure here will be always be disappointed and worried. Today let “IT” go. When you do send me an email. I want to see you set free too. Jesus paid too high a price for us to try to make this place heaven and to hold onto “IT” instead of Him.

John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”

Happy Thanksgiving

Brad